AG-SWITCH: Algal Genetic Switches Which Induce Triglycerides and/or Carbohydrates production for Human nutrition

Microalgae are considered one of the most promising feedstocks for sustainable production of commodities such as food, feed, chemicals, materials and biofuels. Microalgae do not need to be grown in agricultural areas and have a high areal productivity. Microalgae accumulate lipids and starch in high concentrations under ?stress? conditions, caused by depletion of nutrients, such as nitrogen. In the absence of nutrients, growth is hampered, while energy is continuously received in the form of light. Microalgae channel the excess of energy into large macromolecules, such as lipids or starch. In those cases the lipid or starch content can be as high as 60%. Under stress conditions these lipids accumulate in lipid bodies as neutral lipids and starch in granules. Neutral lipids can be used as an alternative for palm oil and starch as a carbohydrate source, both applicable in food. Under stress conditions usually both starch and lipids are produced at the same time. It would be preferred to produce only lipids or only starch. To increase lipid or starch yield we would like to be able to control the switch of the starch or lipid metabolism. Objective of this proposal is to identify that switch in algal metabolism that determines whether lipids or starch is produced, to control that switch and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the control of the switch in photobioreactors. Successful control of the switch would increase the lipid or starch yield with nearly 50% resulting in a lipid or starch concentration increase from about 35% of the biomass to 60% of the biomass. Our objective is to identify the switch, engineer the regulator of that switch and validate the effectiveness in production.